I’ve been doing this whole lactation cookie thing for a little over 3 years now and I’ve finally found a recipe that I’m sticking with. What I’ve found is that most lactation cookie recipes are really just cookie recipes with brewer’s yeast and oatmeal added. Which, yes, those two ingredients are proven to increase your milk production, but after you eat enough cookies to get a nice dose [of those two ingredients] you’re looking at a three digit calorie range.

Two weeks ago I started a dairy-free, sugar-free, preservative-free, fun-free diet and needed a little boost in the milk supply department. I started looking for lactation cookie recipes with those restrictions and came up fairly empty-handed, but I did find two that came close. So I meshed the recipes together, made it vegan, added a few additional ingredients, and voila — a super duper healthy lactation cookie recipes awaits you below!

Before jumping down to the recipe, I feel like I should mention that while lactation cookies can help your supply, they shouldn’t be your only method of supplementation. Breastmilk supply can decrease for a number of reasons: a drop in feedings, stress, not drinking enough water, drinking too much caffeine, taking new medications, etc. The good news is, it’s so very simple to increase. Breasts make milk continuously, but the rate at which they make milk depends on how frequently they are emptied. So the best way, in my opinion, to boost your supply is to pump in between feedings and really up your water intake. Remember: the more you pump/nurse, the more milk you’ll make. If your baby is sleeping through the night, pump right before you go to bed and, if necessary, wake up 3-4 hours before baby wakes up and pump again. I’ll say it again: drink a TON of water. It’s so easy to get dehydrated when you’re nursing. Dehydration = low supply.

I’m not a doctor, so please check with yours if you’re really battling low supply and feel like your baby isn’t getting enough food from you. Nursing your baby is wonderful, but nothing is more important than a healthy, happy, FULL baby. Formula is your friend! 

2 cups old fashioned oats*
4 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup debittered brewer’s yeast* (my favorite brand linked here)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon pink himalayan salt (or sea salt)
1/2 cup old fashion oats
1/3 cup cacao nibs

*If you are gluten-intolerant or trying to abstain from gluten, be sure to buy certified gluten-free oats. If you cannot find a brewer’s yeast that is certified gluten-free, try using nutritional yeast as it is thought to have similar properties for milk production. 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper if possible. Pour the 2 cups of oats into a blender and process them into a fine flour (about one minute). Let the flour settle before removing the lid. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground flax seeds with the water and stir well to mix. Add in the coconut oil (melted), coconut sugar, brewer’s yeast, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and stir again until well combined. Gradually stir in the oat flour until a dough is formed. It will still be pretty sticky at this point. Then, fold in the non-blended 1/2 cup of oats and cacao nibs. 
3. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheet and use your fingers to lightly flatten each cookie. 
4. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on a baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack. 

The cookies will get softer after they cool, especially if you store them at room temperature in an airtight container. If you like a firmer cookie, similar to the consistency when they come out of the oven, be sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge or even freezer. 

SUBSTITUTIONS:

Cacao nibs are a trip. This was my very first time to have them and they definitely didn’t taste like chocolate to me. But because I didn’t really have another option, I threw them in and hoped for the best. Thankfully, they tasted much better after baking. So, proceed with caution if you’re new to cacao nibs and feel free to substitute them with whatever you wish. I think the recipe could hold its own without the addition of cocoa nibs or a substitute anyway.

Enjoy!

xo
Jen